A Marriage That Was Never Meant To Be
by gabzep
Summary: When a plague hits all of Panem it ends the Hunger Games but then a new mandatory marriage law takes its place.
1. Chapter 1

I'm sitting here on our boulder irritated as hell, waiting for my best friend Gale for what might be our last hunting day together and he's late. Very. No doubt he was out celebrating his last night of being single. Today is the day of the marriage reaping.

A pandemic had swept the country of Panem a year or so before the 50th and final hunger games. It was estimated that it had ended up killing 30-60% of Panem's population. It also hit the capital and even with all its medical advances they could do nothing to stop it. It didn't make any sense to keep on killing district children for their entertainment with all our numbers so low. Some people say it started in district 13 and spread while they met with capitol and district rebels in talks of an uprising.

District 13 rejoined Panem once the games were over and their president, Alma Coin became one of President Snow's top advisers. They say she carries her own drinking flask and she even has an Avox taste test all her food. I guess you can never be to careful.

After the plague ran its course, the new marriage laws were put into place. Once you turn eighteen we are subjected to a physical exam to insure we are fertile. They hand us a questioner to complete and turn in the week before the reaping to help with compatibility. We are expected to have a minimum of 2 children but they encourage more by offering a small stipend for each additional child.

The virus has also caused sterility in some and slight deformities in others, these people are classified as 'abnormal' and are treated as second class citizens.

"Hey, Catnip" says Gale.

"You're late" I snap.

"I know, I'm sorry but I brought some sandwiches" he hands one to me.

"Well in that case you're forgiven." I take a big bite "Mm." Food is my weakness and he know it too. We grow up together almost like siblings, we are the same age, born only a couple days apart, our fathers are best friends as well./p

"We should get started, our dads need a good haul, we had last minute orders for today's celebrations." I say. "I sent Rory and Vick up ahead to work the snare lines and to gather. This way we can work on getting bigger game." Our dads survived the last mine explosion 7 years ago. But not without sustaining injuries.

My dad James Everdeen lost a foot and Hunter Hawthorne lost an arm. They opened up a stand at the Hob and call it "Stumpy's Butchery" kind of ironic.

"I hope we get a deer" saids Gale. "Or a boar." We get both and even manage to get two wild turkey's and 3 geese. With Rory's and Vick's help we field dress our game and drag our haul to the hob. It was a very good hunting day.

As dad and Mr Hawthorne look over our game Gale leans in to me and asks, "So you planning to volunteer?" I look at my dad and he gives me a nod.

I give Gale a wicked grin and say "Yeah."

Mr Hawthorne shakes his head "Mellark's in trouble."

My dad just shrugs "Peeta's been in trouble since the first day of school."


	2. Chapter 2

13 years ago

We file into Mrs Smith class on our first day of kindergarten. A boy is already there. He has ashy blond hair and fair skin. Definitely a merchant. It looks like it's two kids per table and I notice all the other merchants kids are avoiding him.

Well, since he's in the last row by the window I go, plop down on the seat next to him and introduce myself. I stick out my hand, just like my daddy showed me.

"Hi, I'm Katniss Everdeen" I say.

The boy looks at me like I have two heads. Wide beautiful blue eyes, mouth slightly opened in surprise.

"Wow, your eyes are so blue and even prettier then Prim's. She's my sister." I tell him.

My mom always tells me 'Katniss you need to stop and think before you do or say something inappropriate'. But seeing as she's not here I reach out, grab his hand without permission and shake it.

"What? Are you mute or something? Cat got your tongue?" He looks down at our hands and lightly caress my knuckles with his thumb. It sends a little jolt of electricity up my arm. I wonder if he feels it too. He gives it a squeeze and reluctantly lets it go. Looks down at the table.

"P-Peeta Mellark" he mumbles.

I hear a gasp from across the room and we both look up. All the merchants kids are staring at us.

"You're not supposed to talk to him" saids a merchant girl sitting in the front row, with a face like a pinched bird. I look at Peeta and he's looking down at the table again. His cheeks are turning pink.

"He's an 'abnormal' or what we in town call a 'freak'. He's missing his left leg" bird face continues. That's when I notice the two little crutches under our table. A single tear slide down his face and my heart hurts for him.

Oh hell. I just messed up his first day of school by bringing him this unwanted attention.

My gaze returns to the girl and I can see a few kids from the Seam look at each other, as if all hell is going to break loose. I've never been someone who likes to be told what to do and since I have no filter. The seam kids know bird face is going down.

"Oh yeah, if that's the case then why are you talking to me, 'freak'. I can see from all the way over here that your head is to big for your body, your left eye is bigger then the right and your nose is way off center" I say harshly.

All the kids in class turn to stare at her. Her eyes go wide as some of them start nodding in agreement. My observations are pretty spot on. She burst into tears and runs out the door.

No one likes to be labeled 'abnormal'. It's a fear we all have. Some of us might look normal on the outside but if we are found to be infertile when we turn eighteen, it's all downhill from there.

I'm messed up for saying that to her. Hell, I might be 'abnormal' too. I can skim through a book and recite it back to you without missing a word. My mom calls it a photographic memory. As far as I know, I'm the only person who can do that. But the capital only cares about the physical deformities, infertility and those who are mentally slow. They don't care about a smart-ass five year old with an above average intelligence.

The bell finally rings and the teacher walks in with a sniffling bird face. As Mrs Smith starts to take roll. I turn to look at Peeta. I see his hands are under the table. I reach out taking one and weave our fingers together. He looks at me and I give him a warm encouraging smile. His face shows that surprised expression again, as if he can't believe his luck. To have someone really notice him but in a positive way.

I decided from that day on that Peeta Mellark and I are going to be the best of friends.


	3. Chapter 3

_13 years ago_

Peeta and I move through the cafeteria heading toward an empty table. All eyes are on us. It's going to take some time for them to get used to seeing us together. I also know that what happened this morning in class is going to happen again. And sure enough I notice a scowling Leevy and Hilda making their way to our table.

Leevy with her hands on her hips glares at Peeta. Turns to me and said "Glenda's right, my mom told me we need to stay away from anyone that's 'abnormal'."

I roll my eyes. She's just saying that because she's mad. I was supposed to sit with them during lunch. I see her mom talking to 'abnormal' people all the time.

I keep my voice low so only the four of us can hear. "Hmm" I tap my chin and say "You know Leevy, now that I think about it, eating dirt isn't normal." She forgot that I know all her her secrets.

"I don't eat dirt" she whispers. I raise an eyebrow at her. "Fine, but don't come crying to me when you get in trouble." She storms off with Hilda in toe.

I shrug and tell Peeta "My mom said that eating dirt is a sign of iron deficiency."

"Maybe they're right Katniss" Peeta saids with a sigh.

"I don't care what they say. It's not illegal Peeta." He still looks unsure so I quickly change the subject.

"My daddy said I'm a natural born swimmer. Something about being a fish in a previous life." I say. "I told him he was being silly."

"You can swim?" Peeta said with an awed look on he face. So I tell him all about being in the woods but I made him pinky swear not to tell.

After lunch we head over to music assembly. We take one of the tables by the open window. It sits 6 to a table so we are joined by Gale, Thom, Hilda and Leevy. I introduce them to Peeta and they all tell him "Hi" even Leevy though she does it with a scowl. I glare at her and she just grins at me and shrugs. We never stay mad for long.

I turn to Gale "Why were you late to class today."

"Mom was throwing up his morning" he said. We all groan. "I know yuck."

"You missed Katniss telling off that one merchant girl, Glenda." Thom tells him.

"Really Catnip, on your first day" Gale saids shaking his head.

"She was talking bad about Peeta" Hilda pipes in. "Cause of his leg."

Gale rolls he's eyes. "Big deal, Ripper from the hob is missing an arm" he said. We live in the seam so we're used to see people with missing body parts due to mining accidents.

"Arlo too" adds Thom.

"Yes, but they lost theirs" Leevy said. She turns to look at Peeta "You were born like that, right?"

With his face downcast, Peeta just nods.

"Makes no difference. Haymitch saids all that 'abnormal' bull is just capital garbage" said Gale.

"Gale, not here" I say. We all look around to make sure nobody heard him. He mouth 'sorry'.

While Mrs Jones rambles on about music notes and song lyrics, Peeta and I play thumb war under the table.

Mrs Jones claps her hands "Ok class, who here can sing the Valley Song" _hey that's my jam_ I raise my hand as high as I can. She calls me up front and has me stand on a step stool. I take a deep breath just like my daddy taught me and

 _Down in the valley, the valley so low,_  
 _Hang your head over, hear the winds blow._  
 _Hear the winds blow, dear, hear the winds blow._  
 _Hang your head over, hear the winds blow..._

When I finish I go back to my seat and I'm surprised by the look on Peeta's face. His blue eyes are twinkling and he has a big smile on his face that makes me blush. I give him a playful glare.

"That was beautiful, Katniss. I swear even the birds outside stopped to listen." Peeta tells me.

"Oh please, they only do that for my dad" I say.

"They do it for you too" Peeta saids. I just smile and shake my head.

After school we head to the brick fence where all the parents are waiting. I see my mom holding little Prim and talking to a merchant man I don't know. It's slow going with Peeta and his crutches but I don't want to run up ahead without him. Gale and Thom race by us yelling "bye Peeta, later Katniss." I notice a lot of the merchant parents are make disapproving faces.

"Mom this is my friend, Peeta!"

"Dad this is Katniss"

We say at the same time. "Nice to meet you, Peeta" mom saids.

"Hello Katniss" Peeta dads saids as he picks Peeta up and tucks his crutches under his arm. He must me strong. He looks a little surprised when Hilda walks by saying bye to Peeta and me. Still he has a small smile on his face.

"Peeta this is my baby sister Prim" she stuffs her hand in her mouth and blows bubbles.

As we make our way home I hear my mom say. "You know Graham there's really no way to be subtle about this and I hope I'm not overstepping. But James is good at wood work and people from the seam go to him when they need a prosthetic made. So incase your interested, I can also help out since he'll need to learn how to use it"

"Yes dad, please" Peeta saids.

So our parents start making arrangements to meet up this weekend. I look up at Peeta and we just smile at each other. It's going to be a fun play date.


	4. Chapter 4

_2 years ago_

I've spent Saturday afternoon on Haymitch kitchen table poring over a stack of articles Haymitch brought back from the capital this week. I'm making notes and highlight passages that might help in finding a loophole in the mandatory marriage law prohibiting people label as "abnormal" from being reaped into a marriage.

Peeta sits across from me reading through one of the law books. All of a sudden he slams the book shut and it goes sailing across the table hitting the wall and landing on the floor with a load thump making me jump.

"I'm sorry" he said.

"It's ok, it had it coming" I tell him.

"This is pointless; we are never going to find anything we can use. We've been looking for over a year now Katniss" he sounds so dejected. Its true we have but my dad and Haymitch have been looking into this marriage law a lot longer then we have. Ever since we were little and I told my dad I was going to marry Peeta. And seeing as I'm a daddy's girl he's been trying to make that happen for me.

"We can't stop, we have to keep looking" I say as I walk over and pick up the book.

"Katniss, maybe…maybe it's not going to happen for us. This might be just some pipe dream." He said. He lowers he's head and resting his chin on his chest.

"Peeta" I call to him but he won't look up. I go stand next to him and place the book on the table. "Peeta" I try again grabbing his chin and caress it as I make him look up at me. He's blue eyes meet mine and I can see he is fighting back tears.

"We are not the only ones who want this. We have capital people like Plutarch backing us up." A few years ago Haymitch finally caught a break and with his wife Effie's help he made contact with a new up and coming politician who is a bit of an idealist named Plutarch.

"I know but maybe it's not meant to be for me, Katniss" he says. "You still have time to find someone you can marry that can make you happy." I just roll my eyes. We have had this conversation so many times. We even stopped talking for a couple of weeks the first time he brought this up.

"We still have two more years to go. We'll find something. I just know it; I swear I can feel it in my bones." I tell him. "Besides we have plan B and C if plan A doesn't happen on time".

He chuckles, "Katniss we came up with those plans when we were kids"

"The smartest 7 year olds in all of Panem" I say. "I think we need a break, don't you"

"Yeah, I think so too" he raised an eyebrow and gave me a knowing smile.

I straddle his lap and capture his lips with mine. I can feel him getting hard and as I run my fingers through his hair, I rock my hips against him. He moans and deepens the kiss.

The front door slams and we jump apart. Haymitch is home, damn that cockblocker. I huff and head back to my chair. I look at Peeta as I'm sitting down and he just rolls he's eyes, sighs and opens the book back up. I remember it like it was just yesterday when we came up with our plan to get reaped together. But if we couldn't we came up with a couple of back up plans.

 _11 year ago_

My name is Katniss Everdeen. I'm 7 ½ years old and I can do this. I tell myself. At a young age in our district we all have to start learning our family's trade. Peeta is learning to bake and decorate cakes, Gale is learning about snares, though he will most likely end up in the mines. I'm learning how to use a bow and arrows but since that's illegal I can't report it as my trade. So my parents sat me down when I turned seven and told me I have to learn my mother's trade as a healer. Ugh, killing things is much easier than this.

I'm setting up a pot of water to boil, pull out burn medicine, morphling and cloth for bandaging. "I can do this. Katniss, you can do this" I mumble as I try to psychic myself up and get into healer mode. I'm not my mother who can switch it on if off so effortlessly.

"Hurry Kat" my mom calls.

"What's his name?" I ask

"Andrew Tate" answers a lady that is standing on the other side of the kitchen/exam table. I'm guessing that's Mr. Tate's wife. I nod and go get the pot of water. After my mom injects Mr. Tate with morphling we each take a side and go about cleaning and applying burn medicine. I can tell is not really going to help. He's burned real bad and the mining doctor had already sent him home to die. But his wife didn't want to give up and they brought him here. We are going to try all we can but the mining doctor was right. One of his legs is burn all the way to the bone.

I started off by his feet and work my way up, humming has I work to keep me focused. As I get closer to his head I start to talk to him.

"Hi Mr Tate, my names Katniss I have a sister named Primrose she's 3 and I have 2 best friends, Peeta and Gale." After my parents had told me I was to apprentice as a healer I grab my mom's book and started reading. Books are my thing. One can learn so much from books. So I read this passage were unconscious patients might be able to hear you. So I end up chatting away as I work.

"I've been working as a healer in training for six months now. Don't worry my mom here too. She makes sure I'm doing a good job. I'm good at grinding up herbs, brewing salves and making creams for healing. And once a week I go to my grandparent's apothecary in town and I get a chance to pick their brains to learn all I can from them." I say. I'm not sure if he can actually hear me but it sure helps me out.

"You know Mr Tate; I think I'll be a better nurse than a healer. So I'm hoping that Prim becomes a natural at this stuff, so I can just help her like I do for my mom." It's a long process and I talk away about non important things.

"Do you like music Mr. Tate? I can sing you a song that my daddy sings to my mom all the time. I hope you don't mind but it's a love song. It's from before the dark days."

 _At last my love has come along  
My lonely days are over and life is like a song, oh yeah  
At last the skies above are blue  
My heart was wrapped up clover the night I looked at you  
I found a dream that I could speak to  
A dream that I can call my own  
I found a thrill to press my cheek to  
A thrill I've never known, oh yeah  
You smiled, you smiled oh and then the spell was cast  
And here we are in Heaven  
For you are mine at last_

"That was beautiful Katniss" my mother said. "Come over here; let me show you one of the signs of a concussion." She shines a light into Mr Tate's eyes and there's a lack of pupil constriction and they are of unequal size. After we are done bandaging the last of the burns she sends me off to the Hawthorne's for some dinner. My dad and Prim had gone there while we worked on Mr Tate. I just want to go to bed I'm so tired.

"Hey, little bird" my dad said. "Just a quick bite then off to bed with you"

I smile tiredly at him. As I eat my eyes start to droop.

I wake up in bed next morning; dad must have carried me home last night. It's a Sunday and dad must have gone out hunting without me. I go and take a quick shower, dress and go check on Mr Tate but as I enter the kitchen I don't see him there.

"Where's Mr Tate" I ask my mom.

"Oh Katniss, he didn't make it through the night" she said.

My eyes start to tear up. I knew this was going to happen but knowing doesn't make it any easier. He's the first patient I helped with that actually died. I'm not cut out for this. She come over and hugs me letting me cry into her shoulder.

There a knock on the door but I'm not ready to let my mom go so I cling to her. She picks me up to go answer it and I bury my face in her neck.

"Hi Mrs. Everdeen" it's Peeta. "Hi Katniss"

"Look Katniss, its Peeta why don't you go out and play?" I shake my head. I don't feel like going out to play.

"She's not having a good day Peeta maybe you can play some other day" my mom tells him.

"We don't have to play. We can just go for a walk to the meadow and sit awhile, I brought cheese buns" Peeta said. That I can do. I nod my head a mom put me down.

"Be home for lunch" she says.

Peeta takes my hand and drags me to the meadow. He gab's on about a new recipe he learned. But he notices I'm not really paying attention. "You want to talk about it?" He asks. I shake my head. I don't want to. What's there to say, I lost a patient; I blink my eyes quickly not wanting to start crying again.

"How is the new leg working out?" I ask.

"I can move around a lot better since it a perfect fit." He smiles as me. It's the second one my dad's made him. Making prosthetics for a kid is a little harder to do since my dad has to add new sections as he grows. Peeta had the other one for two years so it was time for a new one. I notice he wasn't limping anymore.

We sit awhile in silence and I close my eyes feeling the warmth of the sun on my face. "Mr Tate died last night" I say. "I'm no good at healing, Peeta." I feel his arms wrap around me. That feels nice too.

"I know you hate it Katniss but it's good to know more than more one trade. I wish I could. The only hope I have is that either Bannock or Rye keep me on when one of them takes over the bakery." He said.

Crap, now I feel bad. Here I am wallowing in self pity because of my trade. While Peeta's only hope is that one of his brothers will be generous enough to let him keep working at the bakery. Since Peeta is labeled "abnormal" he won't be reaped nor assigned a house. He'll have to live with his parent or with one of his brothers or in a rundown shack in the "abnormal" sector located in the Seam. There is only one way to fix all that. I'm going to marry him.

"Don't worry Peeta you'll move in with me." I tell him.

"Right, like your husband is going to let me move in with you?" he rolls his eyes.

"Well yeah, cause you'll be my husband, duh." I tell him. "Or don't you want to be my husband." I didn't think of that.

"Sure I do." He says. "But the law won't let me be reaped let alone choice who I want to be reaped with."

"We will just have to get them to change the law silly. We'll ask Haymitch. He knows a lot of capitol people." I say.

Haymitch is my father and Mr Hawthornes best friend. They call themselves the three amigos. The capital announced the end of the hunger games during the quarter quell saying it would be the last of the games. Two years afterwards the new reaping law came into effect but since he was a Victor he was reaped with a capital woman named Effie. They fight a lot but seem to like each other anyway.

Ironically he didn't have to kill anyone in the games. The plague was still going strong at the time, a few tributes had dead before entering the arena; the capital didn't bother replacing them. Then almost half of the remaining tributes dead in the arena because of it, the rest were killed by the careers or the mutts, leaving him the last one standing. Unfortunately his mom and girlfriend dead of the plague a couple of months later, his brother got sick too but made it through.

"If that doesn't work, I'll just have to get labeled as "abnormal" too. Then we can both move in together. I'll get dad to help us build a house in the "abnormal" sector." I tell him. When the law first took place everything was run according to the capitals rules but all rules can be broken with just the right amount of money. We can pay the peacekeepers to list me as infertile this will label me as "abnormal" and that's all it takes.

"That's actually not a bad idea" he says."Or we can always run away into the woods. Fix up the cabin by the lake."

"That will work too." I tell him. "But then I really need to learn healing incase one of us gets sick. Woodwork too so I can fix your leg if it needs it and the cabin. You will be in charge of the baking and cooking."

"No, I want to learn the woodwork. You think your father will teach me." He asks.

"Of course, you are going to be his son in law you have to learn his trade." I say. This day had started off really sad. But now I'm excited and ready to go back to training.

Peeta smile down at me and I give him a quick peck on the lips. He makes a face

"What was that for? Now you gave me your cooties" he scowls as me and rubs his lips with the back of his hand.

I just smirk at him "You better get used to it. That's what husbands and wives do. My parents do it all the time"

"Not my parents" he said. He sighs "Fine but not all the time. I don't want to get sick."

I go in for another kiss and he pushes my face away making me giggle. Oh this new kissing game is going to be fun.


	5. Chapter 5

_7 YEARS AGO_

I folded a piece of paper into a triangle. I place one tip on the table with my finger. I scan the room real quick for the teacher; ok her back is to the class. One, two, three and flick. Score! Direct hit to the back of Peetas' head, I stifle a giggle as I watch him flinch.

We use to sit together all the time but the teachers started to separate us for disrupting the class. Mostly me, not that my grades were ever effected, I ace everything without even trying. Class is so boring. My mom's medical books are more interesting then what they teach us here.

Peeta sits in the row next to mine two seats up. I watch as he unfolds the paper reads the note, writes something on it and folds it back up. Instead of throwing it back to me he passes it down the row. Hilda hands it to me under the desk. I unfold it to see his answer.

'R U sure it's K if I come over 2moro morning? I won't B cutting in2 UR play time w/UR BFF Delly?' KE

'OMG of course it's K & how many times do I have 2 tell U she's not my BFF U R!' PM

I smile smugly at his reply. It's not that I'm jealous of Delly. Well, ok maybe a little but he was my friend first. When I met Peeta he didn't have any friends. His whole family's life had changed when he was born 'abnormal'. The weekend he and Mr. Mellark came over so Peeta could be measured for his first leg, Mr. Mellark had told us that when Peeta was born all their friends and some family started to distance themselves from them. No longer inviting them to any of their social gatherings nor coming over to any of theirs. So they just stopped socializing with most people from town.

Peeta said that once he realized they were being shunned because of him he felt guilty and would rather hide from everyone hoping they would forget he existed. My dad told him there was nothing wrong with him, that it was the nonsense the capital was spewing and the people who bought into it that were the problem. Mr. Mellark said he was so nervous for Peeta when he finally started school, thinking he might be bullied, how happy he had been to see Peeta had make some friends.

The day Delly became our friend, was also the first time I went over to Peeta's house for a play date. My dad had dropped me off at his house when we went into town to trade. It was also the first time I met Mrs. Mellark.

She looked down her nose at me, turned to Mr. Mellark and said "Seeing as he's going to have to live in the Seam one day, he might as well make friends with them now." She then shoved colored chalks into our hands and ushered us out the front of the bakery saying "Make as much noise as you want" she then went back inside with a smirk on her face.

Peeta had already mastered the use of his new leg and you almost couldn't tell he was 'abnormal'. We ran around playing tag for awhile, and then sat down in the front of the bakery with our chalks to draw on the floor. I saw Delly staring at us from across the way and could tell she wanted to play too. I motioned for her to join us and as she was walking over her mom came out, grabbed her hand and tried to pull her back into the shoe shop. Delly dropped to the floor and threw an epic tantrum right in the middle of the square.

"Why can't I play with Peeta?" legs flailing, "I've always wanted to play with him but you never let me" fist pounding, "how come it's ok for Katniss but not me, it's not fair" and so on and so on. It seemed to go on forever. Delly's dad finally came out of the shop and told Mrs. Cartwright to leave her alone. That was it; Peeta had a second best friend.

Right as I was about to flick another paper at him the bell for lunch rings. I grab my lunch bag and go over to Peeta.

"So what do you have planned for us tomorrow that I need to miss hunting with my dad?" I ask.

"It's a surprise" he tells me. I scowl at him, I hate surprises and he knows it. He just grins at me. "Come on Katniss you'll love it, I promise."

We sit down at our usual table; Madge and Delly are already there. Mrs. Undersee and my mom are best friends so Madge and I grown up together. We start to unpack our lunch.

"You girls know what he has planned for us tomorrow?" I ask them. They shake their heads. Peeta lays out slices of bread.

"I was going to ask you the same thing" said Madge "We thought you might know". I place pieces of sliced turkey meat and goat cheese on the bread.

"Nope, he's being secretive" I say with a frown. As he brings out the cookies and hands one to each of us. I look at mine and it's decorated with a Katniss flower. "Wow Peeta, you're getting really good at this" I tell him. He beams at me. I can't help but smile back; he has such a passion for decorating.

Halfway through our lunch hour the sirens go off. That can only mean one thing _a mine accident_. My heart sank as the realization hits me _dad_.

"I have to get Prim" I yell. I run to her class, Peeta right behind me. She's sitting at her desk, looking so tiny and pale, just waiting for me to get her as per our moms' instructions if the sirens were to ever go off. She jumps up, grabs my hand and the three of us run off to the entrance of the mines.

Our mom and the rest of our family from the apothecary are gathered around the district doctor as he coordinates the triage area. Prim, my cousin Jasmine and I are assigned the minor injuries area. My aunt Gina, my uncle Reed and my cousin Sage are assigned the urgent care area and my mom and grandparents get the priority miners section. Peeta, Gale and several other volunteers work among us, handing out supplies as we call out what we need.

After what feels like hours my dad and Mr. Hawthorne are brought into the urgent section. My mom trades places with my uncle so she can tend to them herself. I let out a sigh of relief and go back to stitching Mr. Jones's leg.

"There you go Mr. Jones, keep it bandaged and dry for 24 hours, after that wash it twice daily with soap and water and apply some ointment to help minimize infection" I hands him a bag of extra bandages and a clay pot of ointment. "Keep an eye out for swelling, redness, pus or bleeding which may mean it's infected." He nods his thanks and his wife and kids come over to help him home.

I see Gale sitting by his father's side as they work on him. I wish I could be there too but I'm needed here and I don't want to be in the way. After a few minutes Mrs Hawthorne has to send Gale home with Rory and Vick. He doesn't want to but Vick is to upset and he won't calm down. I catch a glimpse of Peeta and notice he's limping as he moves around gathering more bandages and supplies to take to my mom.

"Peeta" I call out to him "Come here when you're done." He hands my mom the supplies and heads over to my area. He keeps wincing as he puts pressure on his leg. I feel tears stinging my eyes. I can tell he's trying so hard to hide the pain as he walks towards me. He pulls me into his arms when he reaches me and takes me completely by surprise with a quick kiss on the lips, a kiss to comfort. I blink away the tears. This is the first time he's ever initiated a kiss. He usually tries to fight me off whenever I try kissing him. _Huh_ I have noticed that for the pass month now he hasn't been trying that hard and then he'll smile instead of frown when I manage to get one in.

"Was that ok?" he asks shyly.

"Yes, of course" I smile up at him. "But you need to rest your leg; you have been standing on it for far too long." I say as I direct him to a chair and have him sit down. I guess Mr. Mellark thought the same thing because I see him walking to us and he has Peeta's crutches. He glares at his dad when he sees them.

"It's either these or I carry you home" his dad threatens. Peeta shakes his head and grabs his crutches. Mr. Mellark goes to talk to my mom and check on my dad.

"Thank you for all your help" I say.

"I just wish I could stay longer" he said.

"No, you have helped a lot, now you need to rest" I tell him and give him another hug.

"Goodnight" he says "I'll stop by tomorrow to see how your dad's doing, Ok?"

"Ok, Goodnight Peeta" I say and peck his cheek.

About an hour later I finally get a break and go over to Prim. I've become a pretty good healer it's taken a lot of hard work and determination. But Prim at 7 and just starting on her training, is a natural.

"Katniss, you take over this area, since there are less miners coming in. I'm going to go help in the urgent section." Jasmine said. By the time Prim and I are finished we're dead on our feet. We grab a couple of blankets and go to a corner where we aren't in the way. My eyes close the minute my head hits the ground.

When I wake up I'm back in my bed. At first I think it must have been a bad dream but as I pull back the covers I'm still in my school clothes and they are covered in coal dust and specks of blood. It was real. I get out of bed slowly trying my best not to wake Prim. I rush out of the room; my dad and Mr. Hawthorne are on cots in the living room. Mom and a very pregnant Mrs. Hawthorne, have fallen asleep on the kitchen table.

I tread softly over to my dad taking in all his injuries. Several bad burns, cuts, and as my eyes drift down his body I spot his legs. One ends above the ankle "Oh daddy, no" I whisper as tears start to roll down my face. Just for a few minutes I will allow myself to cry. They are alive that's all that matters. I look over at Mr. Hawthorne and one of his arms has also been amputated. I take a deep shaky breath to calm down; I wipe the tears off my face, no more crying I tell myself.

The front door opens. Gale, Rory and Vick walk in and come over to see their dad.

"You kids need to be quiet" said Mrs. Hawthorne. I see my mom is awake too.

"We need to go hunting Catnip" Gale said. He's looking at his dad with sadness. "They are not going to be able to work for a while and we need to keep things up until they can." I look up at him even at 11 Gale it a lot taller than me.

"Ok, let me go get changed" my healers training is going to have to take a backseat from now on. I go into my room and start to undress and pull out clothes from the dresser. "Prim, wake up" I say as she starts to stir. "You're going to need to help mom"

"But your better than me" she said.

"You're catching on quicker than I did at your age. Dads in bad shape Prim. I'm going to have to concentrate on hunting for now." I tell her, as I feel the weight of responsibility drop on my shoulders. He's not dead I remind myself it won't be forever. "Get up, get dressed and see if mom needs anything" I say. She nods her head and starts to do as I say.

This is the first time Gale and I have been out in the woods alone. We trek along working the snarl line. Shooting at every rabbit and squirrel we find. We've been out since dawn so by mid day we have a decent haul. Not bad at all seeing as it's a bitter January day. As we make our way to the hob we talk about how we're going to make this work. We will go hunting before and after school and as much as we can on the weekends. It'll be hard work but we're determined to keep our families fed until our dads get better. The hob is packed today. Some people ask about our fathers but since most have their own family members to worry about we're able to finish up trading quickly enough. We're starved and tired by the time we get home.

Peeta's here, I had completely forgotten he was coming over and he's using only his crutches. He must be in a lot of pain. A wave of guilt washes over me. On the rare occasion that he over uses his leg he has to forgo the prosthetic and use just the crutches until his leg gets better. He'll normally stay home when he needs them like this but he must have been more worried about us than any embarrassment he might feel at being seen without his prosthetic on. I should have made him stop earlier yesterday. He's about to get up from his chair when he sees me and I just shake my head and hurry over to him, bending down I give him a quick hug.

"Oh Peeta, I'm so sorry. We should have been more careful" I say. "Did mom take a look at it?" I ask.

"She's been busy with your dad and Mr. Hawthorne plus others that have been stopping by" he tells me.

"Let's go to my room" I say. Dropping my game bag on the table and handing my mom the coins I made today.

"Katniss you need to eat" my mom says.

"Let me take care of Peeta first. We'll be right back" Peeta was about to say something but I just shake my head no. He knows not to complain when I'm in healer mood.

I have him sit on the bed and I unlock and pull out the bottom drawer of my dresser. I have extra jars of salve for Peeta saved in here. I make these myself and learned never to leave then in my moms medicine cabinet because they'll get all used up and only replaced when I make more. I had my dad install a combination lock when I realized my mom was sneaking some. I'm the only one you knows the combination. No one messes with Peeta's medicine and get away with it.

He has already rolled up his pant leg and I kneel down and start to massage the salve onto his stump. "It's not as bad as I thought it would be, just a little redness and some swelling should be fine by tomorrow. Do you need more to take home" I ask.

"Ya, I hadn't realized I had run out" he said sheepishly.

"How many times do I have to remind you that when you're down to one jar to let me know? I have 5 in here I'll give them to you before you go home." I say. "Did you bring back any of the empty ones?"

He nods. "You're always taking care of me"

"Of course, you're my best friend. I'd do anything for you"

"Same here" he said with a smile. I grab a towel and wipe off my hands. I'm too tired for anything right now so I climb and lay down on the bed.

"Katniss, you need to eat" he reminds me.

"I need a nap first" I say with a yawn. I feel him shift on the bed and he takes me in his arms. I rest my head on his chest. The beating of his heart is lulling me to sleep. "Stay with me?" I ask. As sleep takes me under I hear him whisper.

"Always"


End file.
